Adhesive applying means



July 23, 1940. J. A. JOHNSON 2,208,636

ADI-[ES IVE APPLYING MEANS Filed Sept. 27, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 29 0 Q 40 26 Q o o O o o 0 o o o Q} m 0 p l] o l /l O 0 Z i o o o 0' 42,

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Patented July 23, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 13 Claims.

This invention relates to means for applying adhesive in predetermined quantities to objects, such as receptacle closure caps, and this application being a continuation in part of Patent 5 No. 2,138,923 issued to me December 6, 1938.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide means to apply and spread a spot of adhesive to objects continuously travelling past the adhesive applying means without interrupting the continuous travel of said objects.

It has been the common practice to apply liquid adhesive by a nozzle of an adhesive carrying container or reservoir movable toward and away from an object to which the adhesive is to be applied, and said nozzle being normally closed by a valve having a stem projecting therefrom adapted to be engaged with an object during the movement of the adhesive container toward said object and open the nozzle to deposit a spot of adhesive on the object. Should the movement of the adhesive container be stopped with the nozzle valve projection in engagement with the object and the valve in open position, the adhesive will continue to flow from the container nozzle until the nozzle is moved away from the object by placing the container in motion or until the supply of adhesive is exhausted.

To overcome this disadvantage of the use of the present adhesive applying means, it is another object of the invention to provide means actuated by means controlling the actuation of the adhesive carrying container to engage and move the nozzle in position away from the object to permit the valve to close the nozzle when the means controlling the actuation of the adhesive carrying container is actuated to stop the movement of the container.

In the present means of applying adhesive by a reciprocating container or reservoir, the adhesive is supplied to said reciprocating container from a fixed supply container or reservoir which is in open communication with the reciprocating It is another object of the invention to .stop the flow of adhesive from the supply container to the reciprocating container when the actuation of the reciprocating container is stopped, so that the adhesive will not rise in the reciprocating container above a predetermined point and interfere with the operation of the control valve for the outlet of the nozzle of the reciprocating container.

Other objects and advantages of the'invention will be more fully described and pointed out in detail hereinafter.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application,

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the adhesive applying and spreading means forming the embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a view looking at the right of Figure 1 with a portion broken away to show the actuating means for the adhesive applying and spreadmg means.

Figure 3 is a view, on an enlarged scale, partly in section to show the structure of the movable adhesive carrying container, and showing actuating means for the means to impart circular motion to the movable container.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the discharge nozzle portion of the movable adhesive carrying container showing means actuated to move and maintain the container out of adhesive applying position; and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the means shown in Figure 4 actuated to permit the movable container to assume its normal adhesive applying position.

Similar reference characters will designate similar parts of the drawings throughout the specification. i

In carrying out the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the adhesive applying means is shown in connection with apparatus for assembling sealing pads in receptacle closure caps C of the crown type wherein the closure caps C are continuously transported relative to the adhesive applying means by a continuously rotating table as shown in my Patent No. 2,138,923, referred to hereinbefore, and designated in the drawings by the reference numeral 6.

The adhesive applying means comprises a container or reservoir in the form of a tubular member I having a'nozzle member 8 screw threaded in one end thereof and the opposite end of the tubular member having a V shaped coupling member 9 screw threaded thereon. The nozzle member 8 is arranged with a discharge orifice at the apex of an inverted dome shaped portion, as shown at I!) in Figures 4 and 5. The coupling member 9 (Figure 3) is arranged with a bore ll extending in line with and as a continuation of the bore of the tubular member I and is closed at the free end by a plug member 12 screw threaded in the bore II and having a central bore therethrough. The discharge orifice in the nozzle portion II] is normally closed by a valve in the form of a rod l3 having an end portion beveled or of conical shape to engage the wall of the portion I and close the discharge orifice thereof, as at l4 in Figure 4. The conical end portion I4 is arranged with a needle projection or stem |5 to extend through the discharge orifice of the member III in all of the positions of the valve. The end portion of the rod valve |3 opposite the conical valve seat portion I4 is slidably mounted in the bore of the plug member I2 and in an opening in a U shaped bracket I6 fixed at the free ends to diametrically opposite portions of the plug l2, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The conical seat I4 is normally positioned against the wall of the nozzle portion III to close the discharge orifice therein by a spring around the portion of the rod valve l3 between the plug l2 and bracket I6 and adjustably compressed between the bracket and a collar slidably mounted on the rod valve l3 and retained in adjusted position by a set screw, as shown at l8 in Figures 1 and 3. The lower end of the rod valve is maintained in vertical alinement to facilitate the sliding movement thereof and. properly seat the conical end |4 against the dome portion l0 by vanes l9 radially extending from the rod adjacent the conical end M to engage the wall of the nozzle member 8, as shown in Figure 4.

The tubular reservoir or container 1 is mounted to have circular movement in a vertical plane toward and away from the objects to which the adhesive is to be applied, such as the closure caps C in the present illustration, so that the depositing of a spot of adhesive in a closure cap will not interrupt the continuous travel of said objects transversely of the container I. This is accomplished by providing a carrier for the tubular container 1 comprising a pair of complemental members 20, 2| having pairs of corresponding recesses 22, 23 in the mating faces thereof, the recesses 22 forming a circular passage for the container 1. The carrier members 20, 2| are releasably secured in mating condition with the container 1 engaged in the passage formed by the recesses 22 by a stud 24 fixed at one end in the member 2| centrally between the recesses 22, 23 and having a screw threaded portion at the opposite end to extend through and from an opening in the member 20 centrally between the recesses 22, 23 with the projecting screw threaded end of the stud 24 engaged by a wing nut 25, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.. The container 1 is retained in the carrier members 20, 2| with the nozzle 9 extending a predetermined distance below said members by a collar abutment 26 fixed on the container adjacent the lower end of the coupling member 9 and yieldingly abutting the carrier members 20, 2| under the influence of a spring 21 coiled around the container 1 and compressed between the carrier members 20, 2| and an annular shoulder 28 extending laterally from the exterior of the container I adjacent the nozzle 9. Downward movement will be imparted to the container by the carrier 20, 2| through the spring 21 and said movement will engage the nozzle 8 and needle projection IS with the objects to which the adhesive is to be applied, such as the caps C, and the yielding force of the spring 21 will permit longitudinal movement of the container independently of the movement of the carrier 20, 2|, so that the objects will not be injured if the downward movement of the carrier is greater than it is necessary to deposit a spot of adhesive on the objects.

The carrier members 20, 2| together with the container 1 are reciprocated in a circular path I'I coiled relative to the closure caps C by a. pair of wheels 29, each wheel having a headed stud 30 fixed therein eccentrically of the axis thereof to extend laterally of the wheels and be engaged in openings in ears 3| projecting from the opposite ends of the carrier member 2|, so that the rotation of the wheels will impart circular reciprocatory movement to the carrier members 2|, 22. Each wheel 29 is fixed on the end of a shaft 32 rotatably mounted in bearings 33 in diverging extensions 34 of a bracket 35 fixed to.a supporting portion 36 of the closure cap assembling machine, as shown in Figure 3. The shafts 32 are continuously rotated by the driving means of the assembling machine through a shaft 31 of said machine by a beveled pinion 38 fixed on the shaft 31 and meshing with a beveled gear mounted in a bearing in a vertical extension 4| of the bracket 35, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. A sprocket wheel 42 is fixed on the shaft 40 in line with a sprocket wheel 43 fixed on a shaft 44 rotatably mounted ina bearing 45 at the juncture of the diverging extensions 34. The rotation of the shaft 40 is imparted to the shaft 44 through a sprocket chain 46 engaged around the sprocket wheels 42, 43, and rotation of the shaft 44 is imparted to the wheels 29 by a gear 41 fixed on the shaft 44 adjacent the sprocket wheel 43 and meshing with gears 46 fixed on the shafts 32, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The wheels 29 are of such diameter and the studs 30 are positioned in said wheels so that movement imparted to the carrier members 20, 2| will momentarily engage the needle projection |5 of the valve |3, H with the caps to open said valve and deposit a spot of adhesive in the caps without impeding or interfering with the travel of the closure caps on the table 6.

The adhesive is supplied to the reciprocating container 1 from a supply reservoir or container 49 (Figures 1 and 2) having a conical bottom arranged with a straight tubular outlet portion 5|! and a valve in said outlet portion to control the flow of adhesive from said outlet, as indicated in a general way at 5|. The container 49 is releasably mounted in elevated position relative to the container I by a bifurcated bracket 52 fixed to and extended laterally from an enclosing shield 53 for the driving or actuating means of the wheels 29, which shield is supported by the bracket 35. The tubular outlet portion 5|! is engaged in the bifurcation of the bracket 52 and releasably retained therein by thumb screws threaded in the bifurcations to abut said portion 50, as shown at 54. A nipple 55 extends from the outlet portion arranged with the valve 5| for the engagement of one end of a flexible conduit 56 having the opposite end engaged on a nipple 51 screw threaded in a bore 58 in the coupling member 9 extending at an angle to and communicating with the bore Ii below the plug l2, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The conduit 56 is of such length to permit the free movement of the container I toward and away from the objects to which the adhesive is to be applied. The supply of adhesive is connected to the movable container I below the slidable mounting of the rod valve |3 in the plug |2 to prevent the adhesive interfering with the free movement of the rod valve, and the spring I1 is mounted exteriorly of the coupling member 9 to also prevent the adhesive adhering thereto and interfering with the action of said spring.

To prevent the fiow of adhesive from the supply container 49 to the movable container I with the resulting overflowing of the container I through the bore of the plug l2 which will interfere with the actuation of the rod valve l2 when the actuation of the wheels 29 is stopped. the valve 5| is actuated to shut off the flow of adhesive from the container 49 by the means for stopping the wheels 29, which control means is clearly shown in my Patent No. 2,138,923. This is accomplished by a bar 59 connected at one end to means for disconnecting the closure cap assembling apparatus from its source of power, as shown in my aforementioned patent, and the opposite end of said bar being pivotally connected in the bifurcated end of an arm of a bell crank lever 60, as shown at 6|. The bell crank lever 60 is pivotally mounted in a bifurcated extension 62 of a bracket 63 mounted on a guide rail 64 of the assembling apparatus centrally of the vertical line of movement of the container 1. The bell crank lever 60 is connected to the valve5l by a link 65 pivotally connected at one end to the other arm of the bell crank lever, as at 66, with the opposite end of the link 65 pivotally connected to an arm 61 extending from and fixed to the valve 5|, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The actuation of the wheels 29 may be stopped when the carrier 20, 2| is in its lowermost position with the valve projection l5 engaging the object to which adhesive is to be applied and opening the valve l3, II which will permit the discharge of adhesive from the container 'l-until the adhesive is exhausted from the container I or until the wheels 29 or assembling apparatus is placed in operation when the needle projection IE will be positioned out of contact with the object and the valve l3, l4 will be closed by the spring H. To prevent this waste of adhesive, the container 1 is moved and maintained in elevated position against the force of spring 21 and the downward movement of the carrier 20, 2|, by a slide block 68 slidably mounted in a slideway arranged in the bracket 63, as at 69. The slide block 68 will have vertical movement in line with the shoulder 28 of the container 1 and is actuated to engage said shoulder and lift the container I against the force of spring 21 by a finger portion 10 fixed to and extending from the bell crank lever 60 to engage a projection fixed to and extended laterally from the slide block 68. The slide 68 will lift the container 1 and maintain the needle projection l5 out of engagement with the objects to which adhesive is applied, when the bell crank lever 60 is actuated to close valve 5|, as shown in Figure 4.

It is usually desirable to have the objects to which the adhesive is applied thinly and evenly coated with the adhesive. This is accomplished by spreading the spot of adhesive deposited by the nozzle portion In by means of a spreader or dauber in the form of a plunger 12 slidably mounted in the circular passage formed by the recesses 23 in the carrier members 2|, 22, and retained in said passage by a collar 13 fixed on the upper end portion of the plunger to abut the upper edge of the carrier members 2|, 22. The lower end of the plunger 12 is arranged with a head 14 of resilient material, such as rubber, and said head is yieldingly positioned to engage and spread the spot of adhesive during the downward movement of the. carrier 20, 2|, by a spring 15 coiled around the plunger between the carrier and the head 14, the force of the spring yieldingly abutting the collar 13 against the carrier in the upper position of the carrier, as shown in Figure l. The circular movement of the carrier 20, 2| will engage the head I4 with the objects or caps C without interfering with the continuous travel of the table 6 and subsequently to the depositing of a spot of adhesive on the objects or caps by the nozzle portion Ill. The spring 15 will permit the head to move toward the carrier 20, 2| during the engagement of the head with the object or cap, as shown in Figure 3.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In adhesive applying means, a tubular member for containing liquid adhesive having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the opposite end, a valve mounted in the tubular member to control the outlet of the tubular member and yield= ingly urged to close said outlet and adapted to be actuated to open position by contact with an external obstruction, a pair of independently mounted rotatable members, and a carrier for the tubular member mounted on and between the rotatable members eccentrically of the axes of rotation of said members, the rotation of said rotatable members imparting circular movement to the tubular member in a plane perpendicular to a path of travel of the obstruction and actuating the outlet of the tubular member toward and away from the travelling obstruction to derosit a spot of adhesive thereon by contact with the obstruction.

2. In adhesive applying means, a tubular member for containing liquid adhesive having a discharge nozzle at one end, a valve slidably mounted in the tubular member with an end portion adapted to engage and close the discharge nozzle and having a projection extending from the nozzle to be engaged by an obstruction and actuate the valve to'open the discharge nozzle, a pair of rotatable members having their axes of rotation extending parallelly to a path of travel of the obstruction, and a carrier adapted to support the tubular member and pivotally mounted on the rotatable members eccentrically of the axes of rotation of the rotatable members, the rotation of the rotatable members actuating the discharge nozzle of the tubular member in a circular path and perpendicularly toward and away from the travelling obstruction to momentarily engage the valve projection with the obstruction and deposit a spot of adhesive thereon.

3. In adhesive applying means, a tubular member for containing liquid adhesive having a discharge nozzle at one end, a valve slidably mounted in the tubular member and yieldingly urged to engage an end portion with and close the discharge nozzle and having a projection extending from the discharge nozzle, a pair of rotatable wheels, a carrier for the tubular member connected at the opposite sides to the wheels eccentrically of the axes of said wheels, and means to continuously rotate the wheels and actuate the nozzle portion of the tubular member toward and away from a travelling obstruction in a circular path perpendicular to the path of travel of the obstruction to momentarily engage the valve projection with the obstruction and deposit a spot of adhesive on the obstruction.

4. In means for applying adhesive to continuously travelling articles, a pair of continuously rotating spaced wheels having their axes of rotation extending parallelly of the path of travel of the articles, a carrier having a pair of openings therein and connectedat the opposite sides to the wheels eccentrically of the axes of said wheels, a tubular reservoir for liquid adhesive slidably mounted in one of the openings of the carrier and having a discharge outlet at the lower end adapted to be yieldingly urged from the carrier, and a plunger slidably mounted in the other opening of the carrier and having a head at the lower end yieldingly urged from the carrier, the continuous rotation of the wheels imparting circular movement -to the discharge end of the tubular reser voir and to the head of the plunger to simultaneously engage the discharge end of the tubular reservoir in an article and the head of the plunger in a succeeding article to deposit a spot of adhesive on the articles and evenly spread the spot of adhesive over the articles.

5. In adhesive applying means, a carrier mounted to have circular movement in a vertical plane, a tubular reservoir for liquid adhesive having a discharge outlet at one end and slidably mounted in the carrier with the outlet end lowermost, means to yieldingly urge the outlet end of the reservoir in a direction from the carrier and permit movement of the reservoir independently of the carrier, and means mounted in the line of movement of the reservoir and adapted to be actuated from a point remote from the reservoir to engage and maintain the reservoir in predetermined position against the force of the yielding means and prevent movement of the carrier being imparted to the reservoir.

6. In adhesive applying means, a carrier mounted to have circular movement in a vertical plane, a tubular container for liquid adhesive having a discharge outlet at one end and slidably mounted in the carrier with the outlet end lowermost, means to yieldingly urge the outlet end of the container in a direction from the carrier and permit movement of the container independently of the carrier, means slidably mounted in the line of movement of the container to engage the container, and means adapted to actuate the slidable means to engage and move the container toward the carrier and prevent downward movement of the carrier being imparted to the container.

7. Adhesive applying means as claimed in claim 6, wherein the slidable means comprises a block slidably mounted and having a projection extending laterally therefrom, and the actuating means comprises a lever pivotally mounted and having a finger portion adapted to engage the block projection.

8. In adhesive applying means, a carrier mounted to have circular movement in a vertical plane, a tubular container for liquid adhesive having a discharge outlet at one end and a laterally extending shoulder adjacent said outlet end, said container being slidably mounted in the carrier to have movement in a vertical plane, a spring coiled around the container and compressed between the carrier and the shoulder of the container to urge the outlet end of the container in a direction from the carrier and permit movement of said outlet end toward the carrier, and a block slidably mounted in the line of movement of the container shoulder and adapted to be actuated to engage said shoulder and move the container in a direction toward the carrier against the force of the yielding means and prevent the movement of the carrier toward projections extending laterally from the oppositeends thereof and the other member adapted to be releasably connected to the first member with the arcuate recesses forming the circular passage, a tubular container for fluid adhesive having a discharge outlet at one end and slidably mounted in the circular passage of the carrier members, means to limit the movement of the outlet end of the container from the carrier, means to yieldingly urge the outlet end of the container from the carrier, and a pair of rotating wheels having pins extending from a face thereof eccentrically of the axes of the wheels and adapted to be connected to the projections of the carrier member, the rotation of the wheels imparting circular movement to the carrier and adhesive container in a vertical plane and yieldingly engaging the outlet end of the container with an obstruction under the influence of the yielding means.

10. In adhesive applying means, a fixed container for a supply of liquid adhesive having an outlet at the lower end arranged with a control valve, a tubular member reciprocally mounted below the fixed container to have movement toward and away from the outlet of the adhesive supply container and having an inlet at the upper end portion in communication with the outlet of the adhesive supply container and an outlet at the lower end arranged with a valve normally closing said outlet and adapted to be actuated to open position by engagement with an obstruction, means to actuate the tubular member, and means adapted to control the actuating means for the tubular member and connected to the valve for the outlet of the adhesive supply container to actuate said valve simultaneously with the controlling of the actuating means.

11. In adhesive applying means as claimed in claim 10, a member slidably mounted in the line of movement of the tubular member and adapted to be actuated by the controlling means of the actuating means for the tubular member to engage the tubular member and prevent the engagement of the valve for the outlet of the tubular member with the obstruction when the actuation of the tubular member is stopped.

12. In adhesive applying means, a container for a supply of liquid adhesive mounted in an elevated position and having an outlet at the lower portion arranged with a control valve, a carrier mounted to reciprocate in a circular path perpendicular toward and away from the outlet of the container, a tubular member slidably mounted in the carrier and adapted to participate in the movement of the carrier and having an inlet at the upper end in communication with the outlet of the adhesive supply container and an outlet at the lower end of the tubular member, a valve mounted in the tubular member and adapted to normally close the outlet of the tubular member and be actuated by an obstruction to open the outlet, means to yieldingly urge the outlet end of the tubular member in a direction from the carrier, amember slidably mounted in the path of movement of the tubular member, means to actuate the slidable member to engage and maintain the tubular member against the force of the yielding means in predetermined position independently of the position of the carrier, and means to connect the actuating means with the valve of the supply container whereby the actuation of the slidable member into engagement with the tubular member will actuate the valve to close the outlet of the supply container.

13. Adhesive applying means as claimed in claim 12, wherein the slidable member is arranged with a lateral extension, the actuating means for the slidable member comprises a pivotal bell crank lever having an actuating member connected to an arm of said lever and a projection fixed to and extended from the lever to engage the lateral extension of the slidable memher, and the means connecting the actuating means with the valve of the supply container comprises a link connected at the opposite ends to the arm of the bell crank lever opposite the arm connected to the actuating member and the valve.

JOHN A. JOHNSON. 

